Double ball caster



March 6, 1934. E* A BROKAW 5|- AL 1,949,448

DOUBLE BALL CASTER Filed Oct. 24, 1932 ZIZ.

INVENTOR5.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES DOUBLE BALL oAs'rER Edward- A. Brokaw, William H. Noelting, and Philip H. Roettger, Evansville, Ind., assignors to Faultless Caster Company, Evansville,

a corporation Appiieatimx4 october 24,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in an anti-friction caster suitable for oflice chairs and the like.

The chief object of this invention is to im- I; prove the swiveling connection between the load Y connecting portion and the yoke of a double ball caster construction suitable for the purpose set forth.

Another object of the invention is to provide an 10,'I improved and strengthened yoke of sheet metal. The. chief feature ofV the invention consists in the formation of aI swiveling portion of the yoke and thev associated parts cooperating with a double series of superposedY balls. Another feature of the invention consists in the formationl of the yoke from sheet metal, parts thereof being so arranged that a more rigid construction, to wit, that approximating a cast metal yoke, is obtained.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing and the following. description and claims:-

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is an elevational View, parts being broken away. to show other parts in 25g central section and of a stem type form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a topplan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an elevational View of a plate caster modification of the invention, parts being shownl 30 invcentral section.

Fig..4- is a toprplan View thereof. Fig. 5 isa view similar to Fig; 1 and of a modiedformof the invention;

Fig. 6 `is aviewvof a form ofthe invention slight-V Uf ly=v different from thatl shownv in Fig. 3 and of thatpartxof; the` invention which is modied.

In Figs. 1 and 2 ofthe drawing there is illustrated ay caster wheel lrotatably supported on anaxle 1l carried` bya pair. of parallel earslZ.

40' The axis of .rotation of the wheel is offsetfrom the 1932s,.v serial Np.- 639,328y

(Cl.- 11i- 21) minating in a downwardly directed tubular extension 18. I

Nested within the aperture 16 is a 'sheet' metal progressively outwardly and downwardly roffset tubular member having the upper axially extending inward vtubular extension Y19, the horizontal outwardly directed portion 20 and the downwardly directed tubular portion 21. The latter terminates inran outwardly directed portion or iiange 22 which is extended outwardly and Aupwardly as at 23 and portion 22 engages the lower end of the tubular extension 18V of the yoke.

A partially concave hardened metal ring or plate 24 is nested in the groove formed bythe downwardly inclined annular portion 17 of the yoke and the horizontal portion 2O of the tubular member and said ring is centered by the upward axialA extension 19. The lower and inner surfaces, respectively, of the portions 20 and 21 engage aV lower seriesl of balls 25, the latter riding upon the flange 26 o f a` sleeve 2'7Y having an upper flange 28, the outer dimension of which is just slightly less than the inner diameterofY the axial extension V19 of the tubular member. The balls constitute the lateral thrust or swiveling members. v

A central retaining member in the form of'a pintle or rivet 30 with the enlargement 31 lying beneath the sleeve 27, has an enlargement 32 bearing upon the portion33 of 'an upper race forming member 34 which has in its under'su'r'- face a concave channel-35 adapted to receive an upper series of balls 36, theVv latter bearing on the race ring 24 andconstituting the vertical load sustaining members'.

In Figs. 3 and 4, the modified form of the invention includes the rivet portion 130 having the enlargement l32whicliv bears upon the portion 133'. Portion 133 is'r'igid with the load sustaining portionvl13 in the form o'f a plate; The platev portion'l is corrugated annularly to nest the ball race forming member 134! havingtheannular'channel 135 which receives the balls 136, the latter'bearing upon the annular race forming ring 124 which is concentric with but spaced from the sleeve member 127'. Parts in this r'nodiat 223 and which is continued upwardly and outwardly until the upper edge 240 engages the under surface of the yoke 209.

In Fig. 5 there is illustrated a modication or^ the form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In this form of the invention numerals of the three hundred series are employed, In this form of the invention, the upper annular channel race forming member and the anchoring plate are combined as a single'member.

The invention claimed is:-

l. In a caster, the combination with a load attaching` portion, an upper ball retaining race forming member mounted thereon, and a spacing sleeve having a ball retaining ange at its lower end, of a yoke having a central downwardly directed countersunk portion in its upper face and a downwardly directed tubular portion extending therefrom, a race ring seatable in said countersunk portion, a tubular member having an outwardly and downwardly extending raceway and seatable in said tubular portion of said yoke and including an inwardly directed upper portion also engageable by the race ring and a lower outwardly directed portion, a lower series of balls operatively interposed between said tubular member and said sleeve, an upper series of balls interposed between said race forming member and said race ring, and means associated with the load attaching portion to secure said sleeve thereto.

2. In a double ball caster, the combination with a caster load attaching portion and a concave downwardly directed annular ballreceiving channel forming portion, a spacing sleeve having an outwardly directed ball retaining flange at its lower end, a central retaining portion rigidly securing said sleeve and channel forming portion together and rigid with the load attaching portion, a caster yoke having an enlarged central aperture, a race ring member supported by said yoke, a lower series of balls, and an upper series of balls interposed between the ring member and the ball receiving channel forming portion, of an outwardly and downwardly progressively oiset tubular member having an upper laterally and inwardly offset portion, said yoke having an inwardly and downwardly directed annular countersunk portion in its upper face and terminating in a downwardly directed tubular extension dening the central aperture, said tubular member being positioned within the tubular extension and having a lower end projecting outwardly and beneath the lower end of the tubular extension, said tubular member forming an inner and downwardly directed ball retaining portion cooperating with the sleeve flange, said lower series of balls being operatively interposed between said iiange and the downwardly directed ball retaining portion, said race ring member being seatable upon the inwardly and downwardly directed annular counter-sunk portion of the yoke and the laterally and inwardly offset portion of the tubular member.

3. In a double ball caster, the combination with acaster load attaching portion and a concave downwardly directed annular ball receiving channel forming portion, a spacing sleeve having an outwardly directed ball retaining liange at its lower end, a central retaining portion rigidly securing said sleeve and channel forming portion together and rigid with the load attaching portion, a caster yoke having anenlarged central aperture, a race ring member supported by said yoke, a lower series of balls, and an upper series of balls interposed between the ring mem` ber and the ball receiving channel forming portion, of an outwardly and downwardly progressively offset tubular member having an upper laterally and inwardly odset portion, said yoke having an inwardly and downwardly directed annular countersunk portion in its upper face and terminating in a downwardly directed tubular extension defining the central aperture, said tubular member being positioned within the tubularextension and having a lower end projecting outwardly and beneath the lower end of the tubular extension, said tubular member forming an inner and downwardly directed ball retaining portion cooperating with the sleeve flange, said lower series of balls being operatively interposed between said ila-nge and the downwardly directed ball retaining portion, said race ring member being seatable upon the inwardly and downwardly directed annular counter-sunk portion of the yoke and the laterally anclinwardly ofset portion of the tubular member, saidV outwardly projecting lower end of the tubular member being directed upwardly beyond the tubular extension.

fi. In a double ball caster, the combination with a caster load attaching portion and a concave downwardly directed annular ball receiving channel forming portion, a spacing sleeve having an outwardly directed ball retaining ange at its lower end, a central retaining portion rigidly securing said sleeve and channel forming portion together and rigid with the load attaching portion, a caster yoke having an enlarged central aperture, a race ring member supported by said yoke, a lower series of balls, and an upper series of balls interposed between the ring member and the ball receiving channel forming portion, of an outwardly and downwardly progressively oiset tubular member having an upper laterally and inwardly oiset portion, said yoke having an inwardly and downwardly directed annular countersunk portion in its upper face and terminating in a downwardly directed tubular extension defining the central aperture, said tubular member being positioned within the tubular extension and having a lower end projecting outwardly and beneath the lower end of thetubular extension, said tubular member forming an inner and downwardly directed ball retaining portion cooperating with the sleeve ange, said lower series of balls being operatively interposed between said flange andthe downwardly directed ball retaining portion, said race ring member being seatable upon the inwardly and downwardly directed annular countersunk portion of the yoke and the laterally and inwardly offset portion of the tubular member, said outwardly projecting lower end of the tubular member being directed upwardly beyond the tubular extension, and terminating in substantially abutting engagement with the lower surface of the yoke and surrounding the countersunk portion thereof.V

5. In a double ball caster, the combination with a caster load attaching portion and a concave downwardly directed annular ball receiving channel forming portion, a spacing sleeve having an outwardly directed ball retaining ange at its lower end, a central retaining portion rigidly securing said sleeve and 'channel forming portion together and rigid with the load attaching portion, a caster yoke having an enlarged central aperture, a race ring member supported by said yoke, a lower series of balls, and an. upper series of balls interposed between the ring member and leo isc

the ball receiving channel forming portion, of an outwardly and downwardlyprogressively offset tubular member having an upper laterally and inwardly offset portion, said yoke having an inwardly and downwardly directed annular countersunk portion in its upper face and terminating in a downwardly directed tubular extension defining the central aperture, said tubular member being positioned within the tubular eX- tension and having a lower end projecting outwardly and beneath the lower end of the tubular extension, said tubular member forming an inner and downwardly directed ball retaining portion cooperating with the sleeve flange, said lower series of balls being operatively interposed between said flange and the downwardly directed ball retaining portion,l .said race ring member being seatable upon the inwardly and downwardly directed annular countersunk portion of the yoke and the laterally and inwardly offset portion of the tubular member, the inwardly directed upper portion of the tubular mem-ber terminating in an annular axially projecting upper end, said race ring member abuttably encircling said upper end.

6. In a double ball caster, the combination with a caster load attaching portion and a concave downwardly directed annular ball receiving channel forming portion, a spacing sleeve having an outwardly directed ball retaining flange at its lower end, a central retaining portion rigidly securing said sleeve and channel forming portion together and rigid with the load attaching portion, a caster yoke having an enlarged central aperture, a race ring member supported by said yoke, a lower series of balls, and an upper series of balls interposed between the ring member and the ball receiving channel forming portion, of an outwardly and downwardly progressively offset tubular member having an upper laterally and inwardly offset portion, said yoke having an inwardly and downwardly directed annularv countersunk portion in its upper face and terminating in a downwardly directed tubular extension dening the central aperture, said tubular member being positioned within the tubular extension and having a lower end projecting outwardly and beneath the lower end of the tubular extension, said tubular member forming an inner and downwardly directed ball retaining portion cooperating with the sleeve iiange, said lower series o-f balls being operatively interposed between said ange and the downwardly directed ball retaining portion, said race ring member being seatable upon the inwardly and downwardly directed annular countersunk portion of the yoke and the laterally and inwardly offset portion of the tubular member, said outward projecting lower end of the tubular member being directed upwardly beyond the tubular extension, the inwardly directed upper portion of the tubular member terminating in an annular axially projecting upper end, said race ring member abuttably encircling said upper end.

7. In a double ball caster, the combination with a caster load attaching portion and a concave downwardly directed annular ball receiving channel forming portion, a spacing sleeve having an outwardly directed ball retaining flange at its lower end, a central retaining portion rigidly securing said sleeve and channel forming portion together and rigid with the load attaching portion, a caster yoke having an enlarged aperture, a race ring member supported by said yoke, a lower series of balls, and an upper series of balls interposed between the ring member and the ball receiving channel forming portion, of an outwardly and downwardly progressively offset tubular member having an upper laterally and inwardly offset portion, said yoke having an inwardly and downwardly directed annular countersunk portion in its upper face and terminating in a downwardly directed tubular extension dening the central aperture, said tubular member being positioned within the tubular extension and having a lower end projecting outwardly and beneath the lower end of the tubular extension, said tubular member forming an inner and downwardly directed ball retaining portion cooperating with the sleeve flange, said lower series of balls being operatively interposed between said ange and the downwardly directed ball retaining portion, said race ring member being seatable upon the inwardly and downwardly directed annular countersunk portion of the yoke and the laterally and inwardly offset portion of the tubular member, said outward projecting lower end of the tubular member being directed upwardly beyond the tubular extension, and terminating in substantially abutting engagement with the lower surface of the yoke and surrounding the countersunk portion thereof, the inwardly directed upper portion of the tubular member terminating in an annular axially projecting upper end, said race ring member abuttably encircling said upper end.

EDWARD A. BROKAW. WILLIAM H. NOELTING. PHILIP H. ROETTGER. 

